Sooner or Later
by xfsHime
Summary: HIATUS-The fourth shinobi world war is finally over, and Hinata has assumed her role as heiress to the Hyuuga clan. However Hinata is told that she has to marry. After rejecting many suitors, Hiashi finds the perfect candidate…Sasuke. As the news of this arrangement spreads, how will Naruto react? NaruHina fanfic overall, but there will be SasuHina.


**Hey guys, thanks for checking out my first NaruHina fic. Although this story is ultimately a NaruHina fic, there will be some minor SasuHina, as you will see from this chapter. I couldn't resist to add in another character for some more drama ;D Not much else to say for the moment, except I hope you enjoy! Please review if you can.**

**I do not own Naruto.  
**

Hinata let out a long exasperated sigh as she idly stirred the cup of green tea that had been placed in front of her ten minutes ago that she still hadn't taken a drink from yet.

She was so distracted reliving the whirlwind of that mornings events that she didn't notice her team mates sneak up behind her, until Kiba suddenly grabbed her shoulders, intending and succeeding to give her a fright.

She let out a squeal and knocked over her cup of tea before her ninja instincts kicked in. She ducked back under Kiba's arms grabbing him by the front of his jacket and throwing him down hard on the floor.

Kiba coughed as he had the wind knocked out of him whilst Hinata blinked down at him in surprise.

"Jeez Hinata," Kiba spluttered out what he could manage, "What's with you?"

Hinata became flustered and quickly helped him back to his feet. "I…I'm so sorry Kiba-kun, I was in a world of my own so you took me by surprise." Kiba stood next to her rubbing his sore back, looking at her through one eye, feeling embarrassed that she had managed to floor him so easily.

"Heh, it's fine Hinata, I'll just have to remember to never come at you from behind." He gave her a cheeky wink and laughed, but Hinata cocked her head to the side and gave him a questioning look, her mind too innocent to understand what he was insinuating.

Shino rolled his eyes behind his shades and gave a somewhat disappointed Kiba a nudge in the direction of the seats opposite where Hinata had been sat. Kiba trudged over with Akamaru tagging behind him, who curled up on the floor next to the table.

A waitress came over and cleared up the spilled tea then took their order. Once she had returned with their drinks, including a replacement drink for Hinata and left, Kiba leaned on the table and looked over at Hinata.

"So Hinata, what's this news that you had to tell us?" Shino looked up from his cup, also curious as to why she had wanted to see them so suddenly.

Hinata began to fiddle with her fingers as she thought about how to word what she had to say.

"Well, you see…you both know that I've been having arranged meetings with prospective partners, right?" Shino slightly inclined his head to show he did whilst Kiba tsk-ed and grumbled something under his breath, leaning back in his seat with one arm over the back of it.

"Well this morning my father called me to his study after my training session with Neji-niisan, saying that he had something very important to discuss. He told me that he has found someone very suitable and worthy to be my husband, and that he wants me to meet with him as soon as possible." Hinata grimaced at this point causing the other two to be concerned. Out of all the other men she had been made to meet up with she hadn't once complained about it, but this time she was obviously troubled by this person.

"Who is it Hinata?" Kiba stared intently at her on tenterhooks wanting to know who it was.

Hinata's face scrunched up and she turned red. She covered her face with her hands, and mumbled something indecipherable.

"Huh?"

"It's S-Sasuke-kun," both Kiba's and Shino's jaws dropped as they sat stunned.

"S-Sasuke? As in Uchiha Sasuke?" Even Kiba was stuttering he was so gob smacked.

Hinata nodded and took her hands away from her face, unable to look at them. Kiba's expression relaxed and instead turned into one of sympathy. Hinata moaned out loud and uncharacteristically started to bang her forehand against the table. "Why me? I barely know him, and I don't think we've even ever spoke before."

"It's easy then Hinata," Kiba quickly came up with a solution, "go to the arranged meeting, then just tell your father you don't want to marry him like you've done with all the others."

Hinata turned her head to the side to stare at the wall they were next to and started playing with a bit of loose wallpaper. "That's the problem Kiba-kun, my father is pretty set on me marrying Sasuke-kun, he's been much more insistent this time. For generations it has been discussed between the elders of both of our clans, of merging them because it would raise our political power and therefore standing in the village. A deal was about to be made, but then the Uchiha massacre happened. Although there was still the option of Sasuke-kun, the elders no longer wanted to be associated with the Uchiha clan. Then of course Sasuke-kun defected and became an international criminal…"

"Then why are you being made to meet Sasuke for an arranged marriage? That doesn't make sense."

Kiba and Shino had been listening closely, but Kiba was getting confused by what Hinata was telling them.

Hinata turned back to face them and sat upright in a more refined manner.

"A lot has happened since the war ended. As you know Sasuke-kun finally returned to Konoha, and although there was a lot of uproar among the citizens and many of the shinobi, because of Naruto-kun's newly gained vast influence from defeating Pein and helping lead our win in the war, he was allowed to stay in the village on the condition that he does a lot of work to redeem himself, and attend therapy sessions to keep check on him. As you've said I've already rejected a lot of the men I have been set up with, leaving few more options. But it seems, and the part I'm confused by, is that Sasuke-kun himself approached my father with a marriage proposition to me in mind."

Both Kiba and Shino gawked at her, neither expecting that Sasuke would do such a thing. They both looked at each other, telepathically agreeing that Sasuke must have some sort of hidden agenda and that they would both do what they could to find out what it was without Hinata knowing.

"Hinata, are you okay?" Shino rarely spoke but he always showed care for his team mates when he did.

Hinata gave him a warm smile and was about to speak when Kiba abruptly stood up knocking the table as he did.

"Hey! Naruto! Over here!" Hinata froze in her seat and kept her eyes fixated directly in front of her. Her heartbeat sped up immediately as it always did whenever she was in Naruto's presence.

She wasn't looking but she knew he was coming over to their table and she began to panic fast.

"Hey guys, what're you all doing here?" Hinata chanced a glance to the direction his voice came from. Naruto was stood at the end of their table now in his casual wear, hands in his pockets and missing his usual jacket and headband.

"Nothing much, just having a catch up. What about you? Why are you here, and on your own as it seems?" Kiba sat back down in his seat grinning away.

"I was bored so I was out for a walk and just thought I'd come in and get something sweet…" before Naruto had a chance to finish, he was interrupted by Hinata grabbing her bag from the floor, standing up and downing the rest of her tea, which luckily had cooled down enough to not scald her throat.

"Sorry but I have to go. I just remembered…umm…yeah my father wanted to see me…about umm…flowers….tea…kunai," Hinata's voice trailed off as she kept listing random topics. The other three watched her excuse herself pitifully and leave.

Hinata left as fast as she could, berating herself for coming up with such a transparent excuse, or should she say _excuses_. She slammed her palm to her forehead repeatedly as she rushed home.

She arrived there in no time, and only stopped to rest when she reached her house's inner court yard, allowing herself to catch her breath and calm down.

She turned her gaze to the sky. It was a mild day, the blue sky had fluffy white clouds scattered across it, moving slowly towards the horizon. She took in a deep breath, smelling the fresh air tinged with the scent of orange blossoms that was drifting over from the other side of the courtyard.

Hinata felt her mind clear, and her eyes began to droop.

* * *

"Hinata…Hinata, wake up this instant! Where do you think you are sleeping?"

Hinata groggily opened her eyes wondering why she was being woken from her deep sleep. Her blurry eyes slowly came to focus on a figure standing in front of her. As her eyes focused she realised that it was her father in front of her, clearly not impressed. She blinked confused, then realised that she had fallen asleep on the floor of the courtyard. She sat bolt up right and knelt in front of her father, bowing down and began apologising profusely.

"Father! My deepest apologies. I did not mean to fall asleep in such a place. I apologise for any shame I have brought to you." She kept her head down and she had her eyes squeezed tight shut, afraid to look up and of the scolding he was sure to give her.

She heard him sigh above her causing her to flinch. She hated disappointing him.

"Luckily nobody else saw you, most of the clan are out on missions at the moment. Just don't let it happen again." Hinata chanced a look up at him, surprised to see he no longer looked as mad. She sat up right again, placing her hands on her knees, since he hadn't walked away yet she knew he wasn't finished talking to her.

"About the matter from this morning, Uchiha Sasuke has sent me a message informing me that he is free to meet with you tomorrow evening. You will meet him at precisely 6 o'clock at the Dango Tea Shop in the centre of the village."

Hinata couldn't help but grimace as her father turned to walk away. One day wasn't enough to think of a way out of meeting up with Sasuke, but she was at least going to spend every waking moment trying to find a way to refuse the engagement.

* * *

Author's note: Curious about Hinata avoiding Naruto? All will be revealed in due time ;)


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